SAN JOSE, Calif. — The 17-day strike of public transit workers here ended abruptly March 26 after a Santa Clara County judge ordered the strikers back to work. It was a blow to the 1,500 bus drivers, light-rail workers and other members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 who maintained strong picket lines and won widespread support throughout their strike.
Just two days before the back-to-work order, the workers had voted by 83% to reject the latest offer by the Valley Transportation Authority. “We were hoping to stay out as long as we could so we could negotiate a good contract,” striker Jose Salas told KTVU Fox News after hearing of the judge’s order. “But obviously the judge ordered us back to work, siding with the VTA.”
“Shame on the VTA for challenging and backtracking on our members’ protected right to strike,” Amalgamated Transit Union International President John Costa said in a statement released by Local 265. “This court ruling is not the end, and fight is far from over.” The union plans to appeal.
A suit challenging the union’s right to strike was filed by the Valley Transportation Authority March 10, the first day of the strike. The argument used was bogus, claiming a no-strike pledge in the expired contract continues to apply. Superior Court Judge Daniel T. Nishigaya scheduled a court hearing for March 26, where he ordered the strikers back to work.
In negotiations during the strike the transit company offered a wage increase of 11% over three years. But what fueled the 83% no vote was not the modest wage raise but the bosses’ demand for takeaways on the handling of grievances and overtime policies, as well as the refusal of the VTA to sign an agreement assuring workers wouldn’t be disciplined or sued for going on strike.
The vote also reflected workers’ anger at the bosses’ campaign in the media painting the strikers as greedy and uncaring about the riders. The day before the court hearing, San Jose Mayor Matthew Mahan joined in, attacking the strikers in an op-ed piece claiming the company’s offer was “generous” and claiming that meeting the strikers’ demands would mean slashing service and raising rates.
“My opinion is the VTA was stalling in the negotiations, hoping for the decision by the judge,” bus driver and trainer Rafael Arguello told the Militant March 30.
This was the first strike by this union and for most of the workers. Strikers told the Militant how proud they were seeing the unity forged on the picket lines and the bonds they will carry with them as they return to work.
“The transit workers in San Jose are the latest of many examples in the U.S. and elsewhere of workers facing attacks on the right to strike,” Eric Simpson, Socialist Workers Party candidate for mayor of Oakland, told the Militant. He had visited the picket line and campaigned in support of their strike. “The VTA board’s outrageous attack on the workers and the smearing of their motives by the Democratic Party mayor underlines the need for our unions to break from supporting the parties of the bosses,” he said. “We need to challenge their rule at the political level as well as on the picket line.”